Windows XP contains massive security hole

The Inquirer ^ | Wednesday 11 September 2002, 11:50 | Paul Hales

[thmiley]

I'm installing Redhat on the laptop tomorrow.

I F***ing hate Micro$oft.

[Charlotte Corday]

My issue is, what I want an OS to do is very simple. Provide a fast, consistent, stable interface for disk, graphics, and peripheral access. That's about it. I don't want my OS to be an all-purpose life enhancement tool.

Microsoft has not delivered what I want in an OS because it would shut down the perpetual upgrade machine.

If you had to buy six cars in succession from the same vendor in seven years, would it speak well of the vendor's quality??

[rdb3]

Just one?

I dunno. Maybe one or two more?

[rdb3]

The Penguin Ping.

Wanna be Penguified? Just holla!

Got root?

[Petronski]

Only took my system 2.5 hours to download and install on a 10 MB net connection.

Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!

[jammer]

Now, given your impatience with MS, how many operating systems have you written?

Jeez. What a question. How many automobiles have you built? Do you have to build one--or just pay for one--to be angry when it breaks?

[lelio]

Here's The Register's story on it.
In a nutshell: if you use the "Help Center" (just WTF is that?) you can pass it a string to delete directory contents.
If you put "hcp://system/DFS/uplddrvinfo.htm?file://c:\test\*" for a URL in IE it should erase what's under c:\test. However it looks like it only works for XP as my 2k box doesn't have the DFS directory or a uplddrvinfo.htm file.

[Varmint Al]

Thanks for the info. I have been relying on BlackIce to prevent hackers from getting into my machine. I went through the operation and did the deed for the 9x Security fix. It was a tad more complicated than I thought, but it works fine with Win 98 SE on my computer. I am using it now with the fix in...

Good Hunting... from Varmint Al

[Slainte]

Oh, you're using XP in a mission critical role.

To each his own, I guess...

[JackOfVA]

although Win2000 is also stable

I agree. I have Win2000 Professional running on a 500 MHz Gateway laptop that has run 24/7 for a year without a hiccup. Only restarts are when necessary after downloading OS or program updates.

Both Win2000 and XP are much more stable than Win/me in my experience.

Jack

[general_re]

Nope, but Win2K does the same thing.

[Crispy]

"Both Win2000 and XP are much more stable than Win/me in my experience. "

I don't know about XP but win2k is very stable. It is the best MS OS ever, IMO. Of course, I prefer linux but unfortunately not everything I like to run works in linux yet.

[general_re]

Servers shouldn't "hang" in the first place! Is that a normal experience with Windows servers?

I know, I know. If only I had a Mac. Not only is the G4 fast enough to execute an infinite loop in under half a second, OS X has uptimes measured in eons. Not only does it never, ever crash, it has been scientifically proven to boost a user's IQ by 30%, cure cancer by the laying on of hands, increase bank accounts to billionaire levels, and attract more hot women than a light beer commercial. Keeping a Mac in one's bedroom permits it to emit mysterious "Z" rays during the night, which act to prevent nightmares, back problems, and bedwetting. It's a floor wax, a dessert topping, the mother you never knew, and a therapist all rolled into one. And all this for only $0.37.

Did I leave anything out? :^)

[AFreeBird]

I downloaded SP-1 the other night. I couldn't delete any files or folders via the "right click". Found out that I had to set the folders or files for sharing. This is dumb as hell, I'm the owner and only user.

Well... so far as you know. No telling what happens when XP PHONES HOME.

[TechJunkYard]

If you put "hcp://system/DFS/uplddrvinfo.htm?file://c:\test\*" for a URL in IE it should erase what's under c:\test.

Oh, that's a feature... like the old "rm -rf /' game in Linux. Watch the disk access LED light up real bright.

[AFreeBird]

How much longer before the PC OS won't fit on one CD?? And then there is DLL hell and registry bloat too. Just depressing.

Well, why do you think they now ship PC's with DVD drives? I hear the .NyET developer package only comes on DVD. It is only a matter of time before Winders will consume ever more resources.

Bloat - it's not just for after dinner anymore.

[rdb3]

Oh, that's a feature... like the old "rm -rf /' game in Linux. Watch the disk access LED light up real bright.

Yeah! Enter "rm -f /" into your shell prompt and watch those pretty little lights go! ;-)

[6ppc]

Just installed Red Hat 7.3 for the fourth time on my Dell Inspiron 8200. Dual boot with XP and I'm just learning Linux.

I keep wiping it and re-installing every time I clobber the video trying to get my screen up to 1400x1050. I've rpmed the files from Nvidia but can't get it installed correctly I'm a win developer but newbie to Linux...not even sure where I should install the kernel rpm. Somebody FReepmail with help! Please!

[Scully]

Don't know if this is relevant, but here's a ping anyway.